At the Maine Business School at the University of Maine, we know it’s no longer business as usual when it comes to empowering today’s business students with a concern and commitment to the environment and social responsibility. It’s simply a part of doing business today.

We didn’t wait to be told that consumers here and abroad also care about the environment, and that they are increasingly taking their business to companies that have integrated sustainability into their business plan. We’ve devised a new business administration program that immerses students in the latest thinking, research and expertise in sustainability, accountability and ethics in business.

By taking a holistic new approach to business education, students in the Maine Business School will learn about new approaches to business strategy and management that will prepare them to meet the challenges of today and tomorrow. We’ll expose them to ways of blending economic development with new elements in business management,­ environmental protection and social equity, ­ along with traditional core business classes. That’s the new “triple bottom line” for business and we’re addressing it at the University of Maine.

Faculty members contributing to this new business and sustainability track are steeped in practical experience and cutting-edge research in environmental and social-equity issues. Drawn from the colleges of Business, Public Policy and Health, Natural Sciences, Forestry and Agriculture, and UMaine’s specialized research institutes, faculty members bring unique multidisciplinary experiences to the classroom and off-campus internships.

The Maine Business School brings into focus the importance of blending sustainability and social responsibility into every aspect of business, from operations to marketing and customer service.

Foundational courses required for the MBA Business and Sustainability degree include Business Sustainability, Business Ethics, and the six core courses in management, marketing and management information systems, finance, business law, quantitative methods, and strategy and policy. Students will also choose three elective courses related to sustainability in their own field of interest, from a large, highly diverse offering of courses across the university curriculum. Three experiential courses also are also part of the Maine Business School MBA: residency week; an international trip; and an internship or consulting experience.